Music. Album reviews.

Luna Pup Tent (Elektra) (star) (star) (star...

August 08, 1997|By Allison Stewart.

Luna

Pup Tent (Elektra) (star) (star) (star)

Originally the brainchild of refugees from the Chills, Feelies and Galaxie 500, Luna have made a career out of crafting smart, somewhat murky guitar numbers that ape the Velvet Underground. "Pup Tent" offers several faux country numbers, a six-minute ode to a pancake restaurant and no end of technical ingenuity. The band employs complicated drum loops, marimbas, screwdrivers, and even feeds vocals through the microphone in a toy robot, though the record's hazy, wavery sound doesn't differ much from Luna's more technically conventional past outings. Though songs such as "City Kitty" show lead singer Dean Wareham hasn't grown tired of nonsensical wordplay, and the record's somewhat draggy second half could have benefited from a firmer hand, "Pup Tent" is Luna's wisest and least indulgent outing.